Impact of stressful death or divorce in people with HIV: A prospective examination and the buffering effects of religious coping and social support
Open accessAbstract
This study examined the impact of a stressful death/divorce on psychological and immune outcomes in people with HIV. People with HIV with stressful death/divorce were examined from before the event to up to 12 months later ( n = 45); controls were assessed at similar intervals ( n = 112). Stressful deaths/divorces were associated with increased viral load and anxiety over time ( ps ≤ .014), but not CD4+ or depression. Increased use of religious coping after the stressful death/divorce was associated with slower increases in viral load ( p = .010). These data suggest people with HIV should consider the potentially elevated risk of transmission after such events and seek appropriate monitoring and care.
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Individuals with different education levels have different levels of cognitive ability.
“Studies have found that individuals with different education levels have different levels of cognitive ability. Education level influences depression in individuals and can also impact spouses43.”
From Temporal and spatial trend analysis of all-cause depression burden based on Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 study (2024) · cites this paper as [43]
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- Authors
- Ironson, G., Henry, S. M., & Gonzalez, B. D.
- Affiliations
- University of Miami (US)
- Moffitt Cancer Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Ironson, Gail
- Venue
- Journal of Health Psychology
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2017-08-25
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 606-616
- ISSN
- 1359-1053 (ISSN-L)
- 1461-7277
- PMC
- PMC5794640
- OpenAlex
- W2745477777
- Cited by
- 16
- References
- 51
- Citations by year
- 2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2
- FWCI
- 0.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- europepmc.org
- Locations
- Journal of Health Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH066697, R01MH053791)
- National Cancer Institute (K01CA211789)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
- Keywords
- HIV, divorce, religious coping, social support, viral load, anxiety, CD4 count, depression, psychological stress, immune function, HIV risk factors
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Anxiety, Bereavement, Divorce, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Prospective Studies, Religion and Psychology, Social Support, Stress, Psychological, HIV Infections
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